The chain reaction that led to the Seattle General Strike began in the shipyards and on the waterfront of Seattle, with shipyard workers fighting for increased wages as they built the ships upon which America’s war effort relied. All through 1918 tensions mounted in the shipyards as 30,000 workers contested a federal wage freeze and struggled to find housing in the war-swollen city. Those issues are detailed in "Shipyard Workers on the Eve of the General Strike" by Patterson Webb. Here is a remarkable database of 142 articles about the shipyard workers from two Seattle newspapers, the Union Record, published by the Seattle Central Labor Council, and the Seattle Times, the city's most conservative daily. Click the links to read the full article. This database was digitized and compiled by Patterson Webb.

Officials in Seattle realize the need for housing that the influx of shipyard workers will present. Property managers already in Seattle fear that new houses will be built before they know that they will be able to occupy the houses already in place.

The president & General Manager from Newport News shipyard (virginia) says the lack of homes for shipyard workers will limit the number of ships able to be built in 1918, estimating that the overall tonnage will drop below predicted estimates.

Seattle Central Labor Council adopts a resolution condemning landlords who use the lack of housing for shipyard workers to justify raising rents as war profiteers. Call for an investigation by the United States Shipping Board.

Calls for farmers to come to Seattle to sell their goods as the huge influx of shipyard workers, 16000 currently, a number expected to double within 3 months, create the need for massive amounts of food and other ammenitites

Council of Defense discusses the problem of transporting shipyard workers too and from work each day, as there are not enough cars nor car drivers to solve the problem currently. Owners of the shipyards offering to help, by running their own trains or offereing to stagger their starting times each day.

The conscription of men into war-time jobs, such as shipbuilding. Nearly 5,000 jobless in Seattle, and by conscripting them into needed jobs government hopes to help everybody. So many showed up to try and find a job in the ship yard that lines were long and some were even turned away. Not sure what Union, but a union does oppose this, believing that its unconstitutional. Most of these jobs are unskilled, but officials believe there are enough job less skilled me to fill the void needed for craft mechanics and such.

As the Nation is calling for massive recruiting efforts within the countries shipyards, Seattle is weeks ahead of schedule and claims to already have 5,000 workers ready to work. Seattle yards should have enough men to implement a 2 shift working schedule within the coming months.

Plans to discuss ways to better operate trains traveling from the central waterfront to the industrial districts for shipyard workers are underway. Also a more effective use of water transportation is being discussed

Nearly 22,000 metal tradesmen are threatening to strike over exorbitant rent increases. They site instances in which rents have been increased by over 63% and are threatening to refuse to pay rent and force landlords to kick them out through court action. It seems that the problem is with man of the realtors or house managers, who are sky-rocketing rents often without the actual owner of the buildings consent. The MTC is appealing to the National Shipping Board, asking for them to appropriate money from congress to try and help fix the problem by creating adequate housing for the nations war-industry workers.

The doctor, a member of the University of Washington, has been ordered to investigate the cost of living in Seattle, which shipyard workers contend has risen at an alarming rate and that they need wage increases to keep up with the rise in cost of living.

In response to the Employers Association’s attempts to remove Miss Anna Louis Strong from the school board, shipyard workers intend to turn out and show their force behind this not occurring. Nearly 40,000 workers represented by the resolution stating that Ms. Anna Louis Strong was a champion of the working class and not a communist sympathizer.

Instead of having to send a representative east to further the shipyard workers plight in rent extortion and attempt to achieve a wage gain for the workers, Washington has decided to appoint Dr. Carleton H. Parker to come look at the wages himself. Employers have been taking advantage of workers needing more pay, and many have been working 10 hour days in the past months, often time not paying them double time as they are supposed to. They also passed legislation opposing labor conscription.

Dr. Carleton plans to submit his report, on which the wage increases asked for by 70,000 shipyard workers along the pacific coast will rest. They want the wage increases to meet the rising cost of living in cities along the coast including Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco

Seattle Athletic Club is looking to be revived by becoming the hub of all Shipyard athletics. This would help revive the club and pull it out of debt while giving the shipyard workers an athletic outlet.

The United States Shipping Board introduced a bill in hopes that the government will appropriate funds to help the shippying board fight rent extortion and price increases in rent and other living costs, such as food and transportation costs.

Goal of enrolling 5,906 new shipbuilding volunteers in Washington alone should help the US build enough ships to overcome the threat of German U-boats which have currenlty been sinking ships at an alarming rate. The national goal of 250,000 men enrolled in the public service reserve could be met, especially since signees are not required to work, only offered the oppurtunity when jobs are available.

Dr. Parker submitted his report that cost of living has risen 8 1/4% since October. Only put the increase of rents at 10% though, a fact which the Metal Trades Council will appeal as they believe the actual total is more than double that. Metal Trades Council hoped to use this report to get a wage increase from the standard set last october.

Calls on government to provide $3,000,000 dollars to build houses for shipyard workers on the basis that the lack of housing will cause delays which will hurt the war effort. The money would provide housing exclusively for shipyard workers.

With outsider officials trying to split the local boilermakers union, the different crafts met and decided that under the current conditions it would be more beneficial for them to stick together under one larger union.

The United States Shipping Board has agreed to a new increased wage scale, better working conditions, and overtime pay for shipyard workers in the Delaware shipyards, which consist of 60% of the workers on the East Coast. While not as high as what the workers were asking for, many think this will end the strike which Eastern workers were engaged in.

Metal Trades asks for government to recall skilled mechanics from the Army and Navy to help increase ship production. Based on the idea that it takes longer to create skilled mechanics (4-6 years) than to create a soldier (6 months) and that ship production would increase if more skilled mechanics were available

Shipyard workers will take a half-holiday on March 5 that they can participate in the elections and make their voices heard at the polls. They have banded together to support pro-labor representatives.

President Wilson signed a $50,000,000 housing bill that will provide housing for the thousands of mechanics and skilled workers that are being moved to Seattle to build ships. Gives the Shipping board authority to commander all empty living spaces and provide them to shipbuilders.

No wage increase will be allowed for shipyard workers, despite the fact that both Dr. Carleton Parker and shipyard workers themselves have proven that there have been great increases in the cost of living within seattle. Also mentions an increase in safety as the workers have increased production and work has become more dangerous.

Shipyard workers send men to Washington to protest the decision not to allow wage increases within Shipyards. Workers believe that by resubmitting evidence of the increases of cost of living occuring within Seattle, workers hope. Workers believe that the settlement agreed to after their strike in the previous year, which said that increases would be allowed if they returned to work, backs up their claims for a new increase in wages

Unions working together to promote the buying of Liberty Bonds by shipyard workers. Also working to inform workers and protect them from charities and bonds which trick workers into giving their money to people with un-wholesome morals.

Metal Trades Council has worked to endorse 5 candidates running in the next election, and hopes that its union members will vote accordingly. Also many of the union shops have signed an agreement to standardize practices across shipyards, with an emphasis on increasing safety

Truckers and warehouse workers decide to wait to strike until the Shipping Board has had more time to deal with their complaint for wage increases. Dr. Carleton Parker, who was looking into cost of living increases, died and so his investigation was never completed. Tensions growing higher as employers in San Franciso were paying a much higher wage scale than those in Seattle.

Shipyard workers threatening to strike are still angry as they want to be recognized as having the right bargain as a labor union under the current government agreement. Even if they could, employers offers are much below those existing in San Francisco.

"Seattle Building Trades Council, representing 7,000 union men, wants a share of the new concrete ship building brought to Seattle. Wanted in part to give jobs to the thousands of skilled mechanics that are currently unemployed.

To fight the disorganization which employers are trying to create within the Metal Trades council by giving certain unions raises while refusing to grant raises to others, the Metal Trades Council wants immediate steps towards drafting a new wage scale to be taken to solidfy solidarity between the unions.

"A new law is being voted on that would re-classify exempt workers from the war, forcing some to switch to occupations which support the war, and others to have to enter the war if their position is not exempt from the draft. Should greatly affect shipyard workers, with some being drafted and others being forced to switch occupations

Some in Metal Trades Council are angry that people with the right connections are being given jobs in shipyards to avoid conscription while quality trained mechanics are being forced out of the yards and into the military

"With more workers flooding Seattle in search of jobs, and the shipbuilding industry expected to add 10,000 new jobs by 1919, houses are needed just as much as ever before. It is skilled workers, usually those with families having the hardest time finding housing.

The Metal Trades Council will go ahead and implement the 44-hour week with 48 hour wages granted to them for 4 months of the year by the United States Shipping Board. Is a reply to some contract shops, which are attempting to discourage the 44 hour week.

Houses and apartments are still greatly needed to house the influx of workers currently in Seattle and those expected to enter the city in the coming months as the shipyards reach maximum work capacity. Working to find more homes, gives some totals (about 1,600) of homes already found for workers.

As the Riggers and Fasteners Union grows, with membership approaching nearly 4,000 men, it was deemed that larger headquarters and more politcal action was necessary for the union to continue to grow and benefit its members.

Boilermakers union and its delegates continue to hold strong to the push for a 44 hour week. They note the importance of political action as a weapon of the union, and ask for all men to register and vote in an attempt to better use this weapon.

Director General for the United States Shipping board visted Seattle, and as a result an increase in steel deliveries is to be expected. The point of the visit was too make the fastest American shipyards even faster.

A vote on a resolution to "squelch overtime grabbers" will be taken in an effort to maintain the 8 hour day. Also, arrangments are being made for Labor Day celebration, predicted to be the greatest the city has seen

Once the august draft depletes the Class A men, there will only be 100 or so qualified class A men left in the city. Actions being taken to find new sources of men for the army, mainly by looking at unskilled workers in the area.

Metal Trades Council adopts resolutions stating that profiteers are taking advantage of the thousands of men who have entered Seattle to build ships for our country by raising prices to extremely high levels. They hope to curb the greed of the rent profiteers in an effort to continue Seattle's record shipbuilding pace. They believe that shipbuilders are being discriminated against and charged much more for rent than are other workers in the area.

Lawrence Wood, the director of the federal employment bureau in Washington state has called for women to stop attempting to work in the shipyards as the work is much too dangerous and laborous. Also, by allowing women to work in the shipyard, German press will use this as propoganda to say that our sources of labor are drying up. Goes on to announce various other lines of work in which women can help the war effort.

The newly amalgamated union of Riggers, Stevedores, Truck workers and Warehouse men has elected its officers. The union is working to unionize previously non-union wharves along the waterfront, many of which haven't been unionized since the strike of 1916. Currently consists of 2,500 men. Also mentions Fink Hall, a hiring agency which union men maintain is used to black-list union men since the strike.

Metal Trades Council believes that business and professional men should be drafted into the military in the place of skilled mechanics and shipbuilders who are currently being drafted. They believe that this solution is preferable to the other option, that of these business and professional men taking the place of the shipyard workers who have been drafted. Also again condemn the rent profiteering that is occurring within the city, and reply to the mayor, who stated that he would quit his job and enter the shipyards, by stating that in his role as mayor he would help more by curbing the rent profiteers than by working in the yard.

Boilermakers union to have 5,000 men to march in the Labor Day parade. A ruling was made that each member of the Union must march in the parade. Afterward sporting events were to be held at Woodland Park. Also a new body is being put together to investigate war profiterring

Despite losing older youths to employment in the shipyards, Seattle has witnessed nearly the highest enrollment of pupils in their schools this year. Many of the children can be assumed to be from newly migrated shipyard workers"

The US government is taking a better look at solving the transportation problem currently present in Seattle. Doesn't care how it gets done, just that transportation and housing problems are solved within the city.

The wages which prospective workers think that shipyard workers in Seattle are making are highly exaggerated from what is the case in reality. Goes on to give actual wages for normal and overtime for the different jobs worked in the yards

US government states that a decision on shipyard workers wages will be withheld until a decision is arrived at officially. President Wilson asks for patience from the shipyard workers until a decision can be made on a final seetlement for the entire war labor policy of the government.

Shipyard workers in unrest at the goverments lack of a decision on the macy boards wages. Admitted that they used the 44 hour work week as a protest, and if the government continues to stall on a decision will again do something to protest.

An editorial on the above stated decision by the US government to postpone their decision on wages. Says that the shipyard workers should have been patient and postponed their 44 hour work week protest to await the goverments decision, a decision which they will be forced to abide by no matter what.

Macy board and US government will not act against shipyard workers who took a half day on Saturday, assuming that their 44 hour work week contract would be renewed. Many see the action as a protest against the goverments postponement of a decision on the contract.

Sticking to their plan for a 44 hour work week, the Metal Trades council claims that by enacting this plan they are not breaking any pact, and that instead the shipbuilding labor adjustment board has overstepped its own authority. They refer to their outstanding records in shipbuilding and raising war bonds to show their loyalty and patriotism.

In a drive to increase membership 2 weeks earlier, a total of 550 new men have joined the Riggers, Stevedores, Dock Truckers and Warehouse men local. Also the men voted to take out their 4th $1000 liberty bond

Despite the delay in annoucing the new wage scale, a delay prompted by President Wilson, the US government had assured workers that no man will lose a dollar and that the new wage which goes into effect will be retro-actively applied back to august 1.

10,000 shipyard workers in Tacoma backed-up their Seattle working brethren by refusing to work more than 4 hours on Saturday when employers refused to pay them doubletime. Despite the end of the summer half-holiday season, workers continue to take them in protest of the delay in the announcement of the new wage scale

The Chairmen of the United States Shipping Board is calling for no man to relax due to the peace talks currently occuring in relation to the war. Wants every man to work just as hard as ever as the need for ships is just as strong as ever.

An unnamed newspaper which called shipyard workers "loan slackers" is being attacked by the Metal Trades Council, which claims that men who often make less than $4 a day and are put out of work often due to steel shortages are doing everything in their power to give above and beyond their means to promote the war effort

Fair Rentals Bureau has its hand full with complaints against landlords raising rents. Has been doing a great job in the month and half of its existence, and landlords seem to be complying although more complaints are lodged every day.

After the Macy Board is announced, the Pacific Coast Metal Trades Council has plan to meet in Seattle to reject the award, believing that it will not meet their demands of raising wages for all workers within the shipyards.

Emergency Fleet Corporation, through the Emergency Fleet news, has recognized the 42 hour work week for office employees. Shipyard workers see this as hopeful in light of their own struggles for half-days on saturdays.

The organization of 14 local unions into a Metal Trades council has been successful in Aberdeen. Another union was newly formed in Grays Harbor, with 70 members and expected to surpass 200 before the end of the year.

in a high majority of cases heard by the Fair Rentals Bureau, the rents have been ordered lowered. Although it has the power to commandeer housing to provide it for shipyard workers, it hasn't found that to be necessary as landlords have agreed to lower rents in all cases where that was the decision.

The Macy award has been announced, and while raising wages for workers across the country from 15 to 20 cents on average, Seattle workers all agree that the raise, usually less than 10 cents in many of their cases, will keep most workers from gaining little.

The new wage scale set for Pacific coast shipyards is the same as the wage scale across the country, and in many instances calls for workers to make less than they are actually receiving now. While workers in other parts of the country will receive wage increases, many workers in Seattle will see their wage standard dropped to meet the standard set for the entire country.

William Hardy, district secretary of the I.L.A., condemns the Macy Award as sacrificing the west coast to better enhance the east coast through their implimentation of a national uniform wage scale which raises wages in the east and either negligibly raises them in the west or lowers them.

The question now for the Pacific Coast Metal Trades Council is whether to accept the Macy Award and protest through the appropriate channels or to set a date and walk-out of their jobs. Most believe that they will avoid calling for a strike. Radicals within seattle believe that through a strike they will earn a reversal or modification of the award.

The Seattle Metal Trades Council voted to concur with the decision made by the Pacific Coast Metal Trades Council that an appeal of the Macy award be asked for, and that if the appeal was turned down a strike against the award would ensue. In seattle workers want a complete break from the Macy Board and wish to be allowed to deal with their employers directly when it comes to determining their wages.

Despite the war ending and the downturn in war production, labor will stand pat on its desires for higher wages in light of the fact that the cost of living will not drop for at least another year. Employers are already intending on trying to lower wages, something which labor will refuse to stand for.

2,800 men working at the North Pacific Shipbuilding shipyards are demanding better train service to and from work, as the trains are too crowded and take nearly an hour and half to get from the plant to the city.

The Macy Board has abandoned their attempt to fix the maximum wages to be paid to workers, and has declared that if employers so choose to exceed the wages outlined in the award, then they can do so. This is allowed as long as they don't look to the government for reimbursement of the extra funds paid.

Presidents of the various international trade unions represented throughout the shipyards have agreed with the Pacific Coast Metal Trades Council in fighting for an appeal of the Macy Award. Local unions are currently taking votes towards protesting the award with a strike.

Seattle Metal Trades Union are beginning to vote on whether to reject the Macy Award, and authorization to strike should the Macy board fail to render a favorable decision on the Pacific Coast Metal Trades appeal of the Macy Award.

Unions deny that there is a labor shortage within their yards. They claim that there are 1,000 idle men within Seattle, and that although nearly 2,000 men did quit the shipyards with the signing of the armistice, meaning that they could no longer be conscripted into the military, those shifts have been filled by workers laid off of the night shifts in wooden shipyards

Unions don't believe that the Minute men need exist anymore, believing that their role in detecting spies during the war is no longer needed, and that they are now working to spy on unions to the benefit of big business

Seattle Central Labor Council Secretary Bert Swain announced that the motion to strike against the Macy Award has passed by the minimum 2/3rd's majority in a majority of the unions affiliated with the Seattle council.

Metal Trades Council denies that a scarcity of men exist within Seattle, a claim made by employers. Metal Trades council claims that unemployed union men are already filling the streets and that no new men are needed